After launching the electric CLA to fulfill the dream of owning an affordable compact Mercedes, Mercedes-AMG has now introduced the fierce little All Electric CLA 45 4MATIC+ (C174) to signal they are serious this time. It is well known that both BMW M and Affalterbach are pushing the performance limits of premium compact sports cars into territory no brand has reached before. Historically, the most powerful combustion-engine cars in this segment capped around 400 to 500 horsepower, with occasional exceptions like the limited-edition BMW M2 CS and C63. However, AMG's shift from a 2-liter combustion engine to electric motors has shattered previous speed records completely.
The new AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ features a fierce electric drivetrain with three motors, producing 680 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds.
The 2027 AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ is scheduled for an official launch late this year. This is a small AMG car powered by three axial-flux electric motors delivering a combined output of 500 kW, or 680 horsepower. Mercedes-AMG claims a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of just 2.7 seconds, comparable to the Z9GT I recently tested but in a much smaller car. The launch acceleration is measured with a one-foot rollout, a standard method today. On paper, this figure far outpaces all competitors in the compact car segment by a clear margin.
To prove that these staggering on-paper numbers translate into real track performance, Mercedes-AMG released onboard footage from the Nürburgring Nordschleife. In late July, the brand-new CLA 45, driven by AMG test driver Kevin Berger, completed a lap in 7 minutes 32.070 seconds under official supervision and certification. Mercedes-AMG confirms that this electric CLA 45 4MATIC+ is now the fastest small electric car around the Nürburgring in its segment.
However, there is some ambiguity because the segment AMG refers to is unclear. Despite having approximately 200 horsepower more, the CLA 45’s Nürburgring time trails the compact coupe from Garching (BMW M) by a full 7 seconds. Earlier in July, the BMW M2 with Track Kit took the top spot for fastest small car with a lap of 7:25.068, narrowly beating the 530-hp M2 CS’s 7:25.534 by a razor-thin margin.
Moreover, on the official Nürburgring.de leaderboard, the new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 is categorized under Prototypes/Pre-production models. In this category, its time ranks last. Even compared to all electric vehicles, this lap time does not place first in any category.
One plausible explanation is that Mercedes-AMG is highlighting a category that does not yet exist: a dedicated electric vehicle class within compact cars. If the classification is narrowed that specifically, the CLA 45 4MATIC+ Electric would indeed be the class leader—though only because it currently has no direct competitors on the track.
Regardless of the debate over classification, one thing is clear: Nürburgring Nordschleife lap times will be broken significantly in the coming years. A strong contender expected to post blistering times is the upcoming BMW M3 (ZA0), anticipated to surpass its combustion-engine predecessor thanks to four electric motors and M eDrive technology.
Currently, the performance gap between combustion and electric cars is quite pronounced. Frank van Meel, head of BMW M, openly admitted in an interview that the electric M3 will be faster on the track than the G84 combustion M3. It remains to be seen if an electric M2 will follow, but reports suggest BMW is quietly developing an electric M4, codenamed ZA2.
2. Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ All-Electric Version, Code C174.
New generation model developed on an electric platform:
Powertrain: Three axial-flux electric motors (one front, two rear) delivering massive torque of 1,759 Newton-meters.
Maximum power output: 680 horsepower (500 kW).
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in 2.7 seconds.
Top speed: 270 km/h with AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package installed.
Electrical system and battery: High-voltage 800V architecture supporting up to 330 kW DC Fast Charge; 10 minutes of charging adds approximately 270 km of range.
Maximum driving range: About 670 kilometers (WLTP standard).
Highlight technologies: MB.OS operating system (MBUX Gen 4) with AI driver assistance integration, and AMG RIDE CONTROL adaptive air suspension and variable dampers.